Save on Power Bills, Automatically

Switch off lights when they’re not in use, only use climate control when needed, don’t leave all your appliances on standby, and so on. Unfortunately, most of us are too time-poor to get these things right all the time. This results in higher power bills, especially at the hottest and coldest times of the year.

A modest investment in home automation helps you become time-rich by delegating all those little tasks to the house itself. The result will be a more comfortable, convenient home life and lower energy bills. 

How It Works

Three important smart home technologies that will save you power are automated sun-detecting curtains and blinds, smart thermostats, and integrated lighting systems with occupancy sensors. 

Make the Most of Natural Light and Heat

Windows are a major source of both heat loss and unwanted warmth inside your home. In winter, heat inside your home can be lost quickly through the uncovered glass on your windows. That means you’ll need more power to warm your home if your blinds or curtains are open all day and night.

Automated blinds, curtains, awnings, and other window coverings allow you to have easy and total control, whether you’re at home or not. You can control window coverings from a remote control or your Smartphone, or program them to open and close at particular times of the day. Electric blinds and curtains can also be integrated with sun sensors that lower, close, or open them depending on the intensity of the sun.  

Smarter Climate Control

The energy needed for heating and cooling our homes is the main cause for huge power bills. There are manually programmable HVAC systems which exist, but the weather – and hence the temperature – is variable. This means any program will be inadequate unless you live in a paradise of perfect, consistent weather.

Smart climate control is a more suitable option as the systems adjust based on real-time temperature measurements, your habits, and whether rooms are empty or occupied. They also allow you remote access, creating a more energy efficient home and lower bills.

Go Dark

Simply switching off lights is another great way to save on power bills, but it’s harder than it should be. How often have you fallen asleep with a reading lamp on or not noticed a light because it’s daytime?

Occupancy sensors in smart lighting systems can tell when rooms are left empty and turn the lights off automatically. While motion detectors have been around for more than 30 years, recent developments in sensor technology, including the use of optics, has allowed occupancy detectors to become much more accurate at sensing activity in a space. This, in turn, makes them more suitable for use in the home, helping you drive down those lighting costs.

Start Saving Now

If you want to start saving on your power bills, drop into your local Somfy retailer today or browse our products online.